Bonneville Spins KSL Into New Division

September 10, 2009 at 10:42 AM (PT)

BONNEVILLE INTERNATIONAL's DESERET MANAGEMENT CORP. is spinning its News-Talk KSL-A-F and KSL-TV/SALT LAKE CITY into a separate operating division as KSL BROADCAST DIVISION. The new company will be headed by EVP/Market Manager BOB JOHNSON, who will serve as Pres./CEO. The company's other radio stations remain under the parent BONNEVILLE INTERNATIONAL umbrella headed by Pres./CEO BRUCE REESE.

The company is also creating another division, DESERET DIGITAL MEDIA, to manage the online and business operations of the company's 28 radio stations, the DESERET NEWS, DESERET BOOK, and KSL BROADCASTING. BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY-IDAHO Associate Academic VP CLARK GILBERT will serve as President/CEO of the digital division.

"Today's announcement," said JOHNSON, "regarding the repositioning of KSL Television and KSL NEWSRADIO within the DMC family of companies marks a new chapter for these heritage broadcasting stations. And as we reflect on that new chapter, KSL Television and KSL NEWSRADIO will remain fully committed to providing balanced, unbiased, and comprehensive coverage of the news of our SALT LAKE and UTAH communities. We also look forward to an increased level of professional teamwork among the DMC assets, which will make available to KSL the additional and remarkable talents found at the DESERET NEWS and the new DESERET DIGITAL MEDIA"

"We see tremendous strategic advantage," said Pres./CEO MARK WILLES, "in aligning the focus and facilitating the collaboration of our respective media divisions. Further, like media companies everywhere, our print and broadcast companies have been under tremendous economic pressure. We have found, and will continue to find, ways to reduce costs and operate more efficiently. Thankfully, our owner allows us to think about long-term opportunities as well as short-term challenges. It is willing to let us take some of our cost savings and invest for the future, which is what we are doing with the actions being announced today.

"Building on what has gone before, we see significant opportunities to grow the KSL brand and business in its home market. We also see some very interesting ways to grow our Internet businesses, both locally and around the world."